ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 12

ROWING.

CBi Mbboubx.]

THE SEASON ÜBHERED IR. November I.—Australian Championship, Paddon v. Arnst, Parramatta. On tha Waterfront. On Saturday last the new season was ushered in with the usual pomp and oircumetanco. The water was not at its bost for the racing portion of the programme, but the crows managod to put up some close and interesting competitions, in spite of this drawback, and tlio usual opouiiig-day shortness of condition. Each of til© three clubs engaged annexed a fair sharo of the ovents. Petone's win In the senior fours was especially a well-merited and popular exploit..

Club ovents aro now tho order of tho day. A week of training lias already slipped by. but, bo far, not much boat work has boon done, on account of the prevalonoe of the much-execrated "northerly," a spoil of which invariably follows oponing day, to the great annoyance of tho old hands and tho discouragement of tho novice. However, land work iB boing undertaken, and the condition is being Bought moro or lesß assiduously—"form" boing left a while until tho weather is more progitiouß, and boat-work more readily obtained. Two Flrst-nightora at Work. On the first of next month, J. Paddon and R; Arnst meet on tho Parramutta, in Sydney, in their matoh for the Australian ohampionship and £200 aside. Tho event is causing much interest in Sydnev, as, in addition to ito intrinsio importance as an Australian premiership .fixture, it ,is really a tryout for tho ox-champion, for, should ho win, therd is little doubt that he will make another trip Homo after' Ernest Barry's scalp, and tho big title. Bo far, he eeoms to havo succeedod in re-; covering most of his old form, judging from tho tone of the Sydney presß, but, of oourse, whethor or not he oan strike his old oondition is another matter. However, the oritfes appear to favour his chances against Paddon. Appended is a criticism of the showing of tho pair at the time when the last mail left Sydney.

A Peep at Arnst. Axnßt looks particularly well, and with Felton as rowing companion to gauge his pace, is doing as well as his numerous friends could wish. Ho always had some faults of style, one being that he dips his blades a little too deep, and the other a tendency to swing so far back when finishing that ho appears! to almost reach a dead 1 point, and'so allow his weight to rest on the boat before the reoovcry has boon started. However, when tho recovery lias started, it is steady, and aa a consequenoe thero is perfect oontrol of the boat. Arnst's loft shoulder always did, and probably always will, got a bit off tho squaw when the water is gripped. However, ho has wonderful power in body-work and drive, and he releases his sculls with do an and square precision. He is now a for better man than when ho last beat Harry, Pearoe. Glimpse of Paddon, James Paddon seems to have mode a good deal of improvement;, but he haß not yot mastered all the attainments essential. Tho beginning could bo crisper, the head held up more, and when the blades are released tho arms should oome away from the body with more decisive'action in straightening them. If this wore done and the hands thrown just a trifle lower when making the recovery, ho would be surer ot carrying tho blades at .a safer height off the water. On rough water, and particularly if there'wore a side wina or oross wash, ho would bo taking a risk of striking tho water with tho lower, edgo of tho back of his scull. On raKwth water, or against a dead ahoad wind, he would get oleai, but a side Wash would land him in trouble. No. ono knows this better than his pacemaker, Charles Towns, a sculler who has the knowledge and can demonstrate tho remedy. Some regard it as a paoodeatroying fault that the elbows should be "winged" when gathering in the sculls to tho body just before the hands axe dropped to release tho blades. English critios call it "dog-caring," or by some such expression. Unless indulged in in an exaggerated form, it is no detriment; indeed, cur scullers havo found it the best way to make a clean and hard finish. Tho Call of ths Cash. Professional four-oared rowing _ ia being revived in Sydney, and it is a striking oommentary on the purity of the amateur status, of which Australian oarsmen are so jealbus. that they exclude New Zealand club members from participation therein, that tho , leading lights of the new movement are —or nave been —prominent amar tours. In fact it is freely said that one orow wliioh is to oompete for cash is to be composed entirely N of members of tho last Olympic Eight which won tho big event at Henley last year. Tho names of the deserters mentioned are Heritaze, Parker, Amess, and Harronstein. , ', Also, aooording to tho rowing expert of a leading Sydney paper, ''ft Is dofinitely abated that almost tho whole of the leading amateurs of New South Wales will beoome professionals as soon as the Parramatta River Club announces its programme for tho ensuing season." The raco immediately in prospect is a sweepstake, and it is expected that threo orows will compote I For a total stako of £000, being £50 per man. .